Working with Goals in Therapy

This chapter will present the role and purpose of goals and goal setting in cognitive behavior treatments of psychological disorders. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is essentially a goal-directed approach, and the work carried out in therapy is goal driven (J. S. Beck, 1995). The process of setting goals and the signifi cance of working with specifi c goals based on the clients’ own situations, and their suffering and strengths as well as their personal values, play a central role in achieving success in therapy (Orlinsky, Rønnestad, & Willutzki, 2004 ). This will be highlighted by introducing some key principles when working with goals in CBT.